It
typically takes not more than 2 minutes to perform
a managerial install, and just less than a minute
to make a simple Agent install to each technician's
system.

Team Helpdesk System consists
of two separate installs – Manager and
Agent. The managerial install is for
helpdesk administrator who would configure
and maintain the Team Helpdesk folders, drop
down lists, templates, FAQs and other
helpdesk settings. Whereas, the Agent
install is for the technicians/agents to
enable them to work on support cases in
Outlook with the configured Team Helpdesk
folders.

Extract these file contents to a file folder in
your system. Before continuing with the
installation, don't forget to go through the
System Requirements page.
For version numbers and changes history,
refer to the Version History page.

NOTE: Per User Installation and Per
Machine Installation
In Per User Installation,
both the Manager and Agent installs are
performed 100% on the local system and nothing
is installed on your Exchange or Windows Server.
Further, this install is intended to serve only
the current logged on user of the
system/workstation and will be installed under
the user's application data folder (instead of
Programs Files folder) and no elevated
permission is required (This is known as per
user installation). So, there won't be a prompt
from UAC to allow this install unless you change
the install directory to say, Programs Files
which will warrant an elevated permission/UAC
prompt. If the same system is used by multiple
technicians, each user needs to install Team
Helpdesk add-in on their profile with the
default installation folder location.

Per Machine Installation: If you have the
need to have a single install that serves all
users of the system (i.e., per machine
installation, which technically means the files
will be installed under Program files folder and
the add-in will be registered under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry hive rather than
HKEY_CURRENT_USER), download the Citrix/Terminal
Server version of the setups from
http://www.assistmyteam.net/TeamHelpdesk/Download.asp
to perform a per machine installation.

The managerial installation consists of tools and files, for creating the Team Helpdesk
Outlook folders, and for configuring and
maintaining the settings of the helpdesk. It has
to be performed by the helpdesk
administrator/manager before the agent tool is
installed on every technician's system.

The Manager setup is of two different types -
one each for 32-bit Outlook and 64-bit Outlook
For Per User Installation:TeamHelpdeskSPManagerSetup_x86.exe
(for 32-bit Outlook 2007
SP3, 2010, 2013, 2016)TeamHelpdeskSPManagerSetup_x64.exe
(for 64-bit Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016)

Step 1.
Run the TeamHelpdeskSPManagerSetup_xXX.exe to
start the installation. Click 'Next' to Continue.
If Outlook 2007 (SP2 or above) or later is not
installed, the setup wizard will not be able to
proceed. Please also ensure Outlook is shutdown
(if already running or active in the task
manager) as the setup has to install an Outlook
add-in.

Step 2.
Select the appropriate destination folder where
the application files will be installed. If you
change the default folder path, please make sure
you have appropriate permission. (Note: by
default, it will be installed under your
application data folder)

Step 3. Click 'Next' to continue
with the files extraction. It just takes a few
minutes to complete the whole copying process

Step 5.
Start Outlook (restart if it was already running
during the files installation). As soon as
Outlook is loaded, you will be prompted with the
following dialog box, offering you two choices:

1. Create New Team
Helpdesk folders – Click this button to
create new Team Helpdesk folders (i.e.,
Ongoing Cases, Resolved Cases, KB, Schedules,
History and Settings) which are customized
with Team Helpdesk specific fields, views and
forms. Follow step 6 to further go ahead
with the configuration.

2. Use Existing Team Helpdesk folders –
Click this button to use existing Team Helpdesk
folders (i.e., Ongoing Cases, Resolved Cases,
KB, Schedules, History and Settings) which
had been already configured by another helpdesk
manager/administrator.

You will be given the
option to select the existing Team Helpdesk root
folder, to link up the Team Helpdesk Manager
add-in with the existing Team Helpdesk folders
and database.

Either you can auto scan (1) to search
for the first available Team Helpdesk folder. If
you already know the location of the existing
Team Helpdesk folders, you can simply click the
‘Browse’ (2) button to specify it from
your Outlook and then click ‘Continue’.
Steps 6 and 7 would are not applicable, with
this route.

Step 6.
A folders Installation Wizard dialog (as seen
below) enables you to customize the name of the
parent Team Helpdesk folder that will be
created. By default, it has a title of 'Team
Helpdesk SP'.

Step 7. Clicking 'Next' would
enable you to select an Outlook parent folder
where the specified Team Helpdesk root folder
would be created. Hence make sure you have
adequate rights over the selected folder to
create a new folder.

The tool would then copy Team Helpdesk
subfolders, forms & designs, views etc. from the
Team Helpdesk PST template file. It would look
like the followings layout:

NOTE: When you start
Outlook, if you are not prompted for the option
to copy a new Team Helpdesk folder, or choose
existing one, then most likely, there might be
remnants of earlier installation. In such
scenario, go to Outlook > Team Helpdesk Manager
menu and click ‘Copy a New Team Helpdesk
folder’. That will manually invoke the wizard
tool for copying a new Team Helpdesk folder to
your Outlook

Step 8.
Now, the final step is to choose a Team Helpdesk
database where all the settings, templates and
other helpdesk data will be saved. Support
database options are i) Microsoft
Exchange/Outlook,ii) Microsoft Access,
iii) Microsoft SQL Server
iv)Microsoft Azure SQL, or
v) Microsoft SharePoint.

i) Microsoft Exchange/Outlook - If
Microsoft Exchange is selected, the settings
data will be stored under the Team Helpdesk
Settings public folder in Exchange. This option
removes the dependency of an external database
and works even on WAN and HTTP connection to
Exchange. This database option is best used for
quickly evaluating Team Helpdesk in your
environment without needing to configure a
dedicated database.
However, please be careful to not use this
database option for your live production
helpdesk, as it is unsuitable for multi-users
helpdesk environment.

ii) Microsoft Access - If you choose Access,
the database will need to be placed on a shared
network folder such that all technicians working
on the support cases in Outlook have access to
the network folder. When you specify the
location where the MDB file is to be created,
make sure you choose a UNC path (eg. \\AMTServer\Helpdesk)
instead of a mapped one because, a mapped drive
might only be accessible to you. One important
consideration with having a network Access
database is the write permission on the folder
and the MDB file itself. Make sure, the shared
folder or the MDB file is not configured
‘read-only’ for all technicians on the network,
otherwise, technicians won’t be able to create
and save cases in the Team Helpdesk Cases
folders in Outlook.

When using a network
Access or SQL Server database, it is important
that it is configured in a way that it is
accessible on the network by all support staffs.
Note that, Team Helpdesk with a dedicated
database only works on local network. This
database option is ideal for a helpdesk team
that has a large number of technicians.

iii) Microsoft SQL Server
- It is recommended to use a dedicated SQL
Server database option, if you have a high
number of users/technicians working on support
cases, as it gives a better performance and is
easily scalable.

For SQL server, the server name is mandatory.
The Database name is optional. If it is left
empty, a new database with the name ‘TeamHelpdeskSPSettingsDB’
would be created. If your SQL server is
configured to use windows authentication (NTLM),
then you can check the ‘Use Integrity Security’
option to let Windows manager the credentials to
access the resources on the SQL server. One
important aspect to consider when using a SQL
server database is the accessibility by other
technicians. That is, when other technicians
install the Team Helpdesk Agent, they will
automatically pick up these SQL server settings
to connect to the database, and hence, it is
important that the specified SQL server account
here (if you are not using Integrated Security,
that is) is usable by all the technicians as
well.

Permission for Technicians/Agents on the SQL
database.
Each of your helpdesk users/technicians should
have both db_datareader and
db_datawriter permission on the Team
Helpdesk SQL database.

NOTE: When choosing a SQL server database for
Team Helpdesk System, if you are not using the ‘Integrated Security’
(also known as Windows Authentication, or NTLM
authentication), then it is very important that
the particular SQL user account you use here, is
usable by all Team Helpdesk Agents from
different systems of the technicians.

iv) Microsoft Azure SQL – Azure SQL Database is a
cloud-based relational database service from
Microsoft, which is based on SQL Server
database. This option is ideal for helpdesk that
have technicians scattered or working remotely
in different locations but have access to the
web.

NOTE: If no database name is mentioned, Team
Helpdesk will create a new database in your
Azure SQL server, by the name of
'TeamHelpdeskSPSettingsDB’.

v) Microsoft
SharePoint – The last helpdesk database
option ‘Microsoft SharePoint’ allows you to use
your SharePoint site to store the helpdesk
settings, drop down lists, email templates and
other global configurations such that all your
technicians can access it from the internet or
WAN. This is ideal if many of your technicians
work from remote location with no access to the
office network but can access to the company’s
SharePoint site from outside the office network.

To specify a SharePoint site, click the
‘Browse…’ button. This would allow you to enter
the URL of the SharePoint. When entering the
URL, always use the parent site URL in the
format http://mySharePointsite. And click
‘Retrieve’ to show all available sub-sites and
lists.

Very Important!Your permission to the SharePoint
site: Make sure that you have ‘Full Control’
permission over the SharePoint site so that Team
Helpdesk Manager add-in can create the ‘TeamHelpdeskSPSettings’ list automatically.

And then select the particular site under which
the Helpdesk settings would be stored. You can
also choose to create a new sub-site on the fly
by clicking the ‘New Site...’ button and
select it. When you click ‘Confirm’, Team
Helpdesk will automatically create and configure
a new SharePoint list titled ‘TeamHelpdeskSPSettings’
under the site. And then any settings/drop down
lists you defined from Team Helpdesk Manager
Tool in Outlook would be saved in this
repository.

If the SharePoint site uses the NTLM or windows
authentication, the add-in will use the default
credential to connect to the SharePoint.
However, for form based or claimed based
authentication (for example, Office 365
SharePoint online), it may prompt you (and
other individual technician) to enter their
credential.

You can also specify the authentication mode
that is used by your SharePoint to allow
connection to it. For instance, if your
SharePoint is configured for Windows
authentication, choose ‘NTLM’. If it used
a form based authentication, then choose ‘Forms’
whereas if it used a claimed based
authentication (for Office 365 SharePoint
Online), choose ‘Office 365’.

In the username, exclude any domain information.
For instance, do not enter in the format
DOMAIN\UserName. Only enter UserName.
If your SharePoint site login requires a domain
name, enter one in the 'Domain' box instead.
Check ‘Remember’ so that Team Helpdesk
add-in can use the same credential to logon to
the SharePoint site in subsequent connection.

When your technicians with the Team Helpdesk
Agent tool starts Outlook, the add-in would
automatically connect to the admin specified
SharePoint site and would retrieve the helpdesk
logic and settings data to the local system.

What SharePoint permissions are required for
other technicians?
All technicians should have at least ‘Contribute’
permission the SharePoint list ‘TeamHelpdeskSPSettings’.

You can use any SharePoint version starting with
SharePoint 2010 to the latest SharePoint 2016.
You can also use Office 365 SharePoint Online
too.

Step 9.
Now that you have installed - Team Helpdesk
files into your system and Team Helpdesk folders
into your public folder or mailbox,
administrator would need to configure the
permission level of each Team Helpdesk folder,
namely, the History Ongoing, History
Resolved,KB, Ongoing Cases,
Resolved Cases, Schedules and
Settings.

By default, the permission on each subfolder
for all users is set to 'Author'. Only
the user (manager) who had performed the
installation has got 'Owner' permission.
Hence, it is this user (manager) who would need
to grant permission to the folders for all
members of the helpdesk team. Without a proper
permission structure defined, technicians
accessing the Team Helpdesk folders would not be
able to perform most of the helpdesk tasks such
as creating new support cases, working on their
assigned cases etc.

The following table summarizes what permission levels are required on
each folder:

Folder

Permission

History Ongoing

At least 'Editor'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians

History Resolved

At least 'Editor'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians

KB

At least 'Author'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians

Ongoing Cases

At least 'Editor'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians

Resolved Cases

At least 'Editor'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians

Schedules

At least 'Editor'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians
'Publishing Editor'
permission to
technicians with
admin-access*

Settings

At
least 'Editor'
permission to all
helpdesk technicians

We recommend that a user’s group consisting of
all agents/technicians of the helpdesk be
created such that helpdesk manager (owner) can
easily assign permission to the group as a
whole, instead of undergoing multiple steps of
selecting and granting the same permission to
each technician. In the example below, a
group 'ServiceDesk' comprising of all helpdesk
users is granted editor permission over the
'Ongoing Cases' folder.

Step 10.
Now, the final remaining step is to perform the
fields mapping between Outlook and SharePoint for
the
Case and KB article items. When a support case
is raised in Outlook, Team Helpdesk will also
create a corresponding copy of that case in an
admin specified SharePoint list. As an
administrator, you can choose which Outlook
helpdesk fields get included in the SharePoint
copy of the case. All you need to do is map the
Outlook helpdesk fields with relevant fields of
the SharePoint list. Mapped settings are then
accessible by all technicians in the helpdesk.

This will allow you to enter the URL of your
SharePoint site to choose the particular
destination SharePoint list under which copies
of the cases raised in Outlook will be
synchronized and stored. You can choose re-use
existing SharePoint lists or create new one for
this purpose. Ideally, we recommend that the
SharePoint list you will choose for used with
Team Helpdesk was derived from the ‘Issue
Tracking’ template in your SharePoint. This is
because such SharePoint list already comes with
predefined helpdesk fields and views which can
be directly ported with Team Helpdesk’s
functionality.

For instance, you can create a new list (e.g.,
Trouble Tickets) based on the ‘Issue
Tracking’ template below:

And then choose this newly created SharePoint
list (e.g. Tickets) or any other
existing lists from the mapping tool and click
‘Confirm’.

Instead of creating the new site/list in the
SharePoint using your web browser, you can also
choose to create – new site or list directly
from the add-in.

New Site – Create a new site directly under
the chosen parent site to be used exclusively
for Team Helpdesk. By default, the site will be
created as a blank site, unless a different site
template is chosen from the drop down.

New List – You can choose to create a new
list directly under the chosen site. By default,
the list would be created using the ‘Issue
Tracking’ template available in your SharePoint.
However, you can change the template from the
drop down.

After choosing a destination SharePoint list
(either by creating a new one, or by selecting
an existing list), you can proceed to start
mapping the fields between Outlook and
SharePoint.

In the mapping dialog box (above), the first
column lists all the Helpdesk Outlook fields.
The second column displays the data type of the
field. In the third column, there is a drop down
list on each row, consisting of all available
SharePoint fields. Just simply choose a
SharePoint field from the drop down box to map
it to the corresponding Outlook field.

For example, in the screenshot above, Outlook
Helpdesk field ‘Due Date’ is mapped to
SharePoint field ‘Due Date’, and Helpdesk
field ‘Problem Category’ to SharePoint
field ‘Category’ etc.

You can choose to auto create the required
fields in the SharePoint list as well as
auto-map the fields between the helpdesk and
SharePoint.

For mandatory unmapped fields only - Click
this option under the ‘Auto Create & Map
fields’ menu to create the mandatory
helpdesk fields in the chosen SharePoint list on
the fly and automatically complete the mapping.
Mandatory fields are marked/colored in light
red. The following fields are mandatory to
complete the mapping - Subject, Consolidated
Conversation, Caller Name, Resolved, Due Date,
Problem Category, Problem Type, Technician

For all unmapped fields – Click this option
under the ‘Auto Create & Map fields’ menu
to create all the helpdesk fields that have not
been mapped yet in the chosen SharePoint list
and complete the mapping automatically. If the
chosen SharePoint list have any matching
existing fields, instead of creating new ones,
the add-in will try to use them to map with the
helpdesk fields. For instance, if the chosen
SharePoint list was created based on the ‘Issue
Tracking’, the list already contains
predefined fields such as Title, Due Date,
Description, Assigned To, Issue Status etc.

For the following fields – Click this option
under the ‘Auto-Create & Map fields’ menu
to choose specific helpdesk fields of interest
that will be auto-created in the chosen
SharePoint and mapped automatically.

For ‘Caller Name’ field, you can
further specify which SharePoint data type will
be used to store the caller information
contained in the case in Outlook. For instance,
you can choose if the SharePoint caller name
field will store the info as a SharePoint
user/group type (assuming the caller exists as a
user in SharePoint), or as a choice drop down,
or as a plain text. By default, the ‘Caller
Name’ field is set to be used and mapped to
a SharePoint text field.

For ‘Technician’ field, you can also
specify which SharePoint data type will be used
to store the technician information contained in
the case in Outlook. For instance, you can
choose if the SharePoint Technician field will
store the info as a SharePoint user/group type
(assuming the technician exists as a user in
SharePoint), or as a choice drop down, or as a
plain text. By default, the ‘Technician’
field is set to be used and mapped to a
SharePoint User/Group field.

Additionally, to have finer control, you can
also manually create new fields in the chosen
destination SharePoint list and map with the
helpdesk outlook fields.

Create New SharePoint Field - on the fly.
In the drop down list of the SharePoint field,
you will also notice that there is an item
‘[NEW LIST FIELD]’. You can select this item
to create a new field in the particular
SharePoint list, directly from this mapping
tool, so that you can map the specific Outlook
field to this new SharePoint field, without
requiring you to create it in your SharePoint
site.

Specify a field name that you would like to
appear in the SharePoint list. Only input valid
characters and avoid using special characters
such as symbols.

The new SharePoint field will have the same data
type as that of the corresponding Outlook field.

Likewise, when a KB article is published in
Outlook, you can choose which Outlook KB fields
get included in the SharePoint copy of the KB
article. All you need to do is map the Outlook
KB fields with relevant fields of the SharePoint
list. Mapped settings are then accessible by all
technicians in the helpdesk. For KB mapping, you
can use a simple custom list as it does not
require that many fields.

For instance, you can use the ‘Custom List’
template to create a new SharePoint list ‘KB’
for used with Team Helpdesk to store the KB
articles.

And then choose this newly created SharePoint
list (e.g. KB) or any other existing lists.
.

In the mapping dialog box (above), the first
column lists all the KB Outlook fields. The
second column displays the data type of the
field. In the third column, there is a drop down
list on each row, consisting of all available
SharePoint fields. Just simply choose a
SharePoint field from the drop down box to map
it to the corresponding Outlook field.

For example, in the screenshot above, Outlook
KB field ‘Subject’ is mapped to SharePoint field
‘Title’, and Outlook Helpdesk field ‘HTML Body’
to SharePoint field ‘Body’ etc.

This install is meant for agents and technicians
who would be working on support cases in the
configured Outlook folders. Before you install
the agent tool, make sure the Team Helpdesk
Outlook folders had been already configured by
the manager and that you know the location of
these Outlook folders (ask your helpdesk manager
for the location if required eg. \\All Public
Folders\Public folders\Team Helpdesk SP).
This is required because you will be asked to
specify the configured Team Helpdesk root folder once you start Outlook (for the
purpose of linking up the agent tool with the
Team Helpdesk outlook folders and is required
one time only).

The Agent setup is of two different types - one
each for 32-bit Outlook and 64-bit Outlook:

The Agent installation mainly consists of an
Outlook add-in that has all the logic and
functionalities of the helpdesk application. It
needs to be installed by all agents/technicians
who will be working with the Team Helpdesk in
Outlook. Before you continue the installation,
it is recommended that Microsoft Outlook is
shutdown (if active).

(Note: if the administrator/manager
needs to work on support cases, the
agent tool also needs to be installed, apart
from the managerial portion. It is perfectly
normal to have both Manager and Agent
add-ins installed on the same machine.
However, for normal technicians, just the
agent add-in is enough to work with the
support cases in Outlook).

Step 1.
Run TeamHelpdeskSPAgentSetup_xXX.exe to start
the installation. Click ‘Next’ to Continue. If
Outlook 2007 or later is not installed, the
setup wizard will not be able to proceed.

Step 2. Select the appropriate
destination folder where the application files
will be installed. If you change the default
folder path, please make sure you have
appropriate permission. (Note: by default, it
will be installed under your application data
folder)

Step 3.
Click ‘Install’ to continue the files
extraction.

Step 4.
It may take a few minutes to complete the whole
copying and registration process.

Step 5.
Click 'Finish' to end the installation wizard.

Now start Microsoft
Outlook. If the agent addin installation was
successful, you will see a new menu item 'Team
Helpdesk Agent’ in Outlook (after help menu).

Step 6.
The final step of the Agent add-in installation
is linking up the Team Helpdesk Agent add-in
with an existing Team Helpdesk folder in
Outlook. When you start Outlook, you will be
given the option to specify the location of an
existing, already configured Team Helpdesk
folder, which may be under your public folder or
shared mailbox folder depending on where your
administrator had installed it previously.

Either you can auto scan to search for the first
available ‘Team Helpdesk SP’ root folder. If
you already know the location of the existing
Team Helpdesk folders, you can simply click the
‘Browse’ button to specify the folder
from your Outlook. And then click ‘Continue’.

If you have chosen the correct Team Helpdesk
folder, the Agent add-in should be able to make
connection to the Team Helpdesk database, and
you should be able to see Team Helpdesk specific
toolbars and ribbons in the Explorer and
Inspector windows of your Outlook.

Additional step for
Technicians/Agents on the SQL database.
If your administrator had configured Team
Helpdesk to store the settings and other
configurations in a SQL server database, then
please make sure that you have adequate
permission to access and update the tables in
that database i.e., db_datareader and
db_datawriter permission on the Team
Helpdesk SQL database.

Additional steps
for Technicians/Agents on the SharePoint Site.

i) Your permission to the SharePoint site
- Make sure that you have at least ‘Contribute’
(or ‘Full Control’) permission over the
SharePoint site.

ii) Login Credential - When you try to
raise a new case or make changes to existing
ones, the agent add-in may prompt you to enter
your credential to connect to the SharePoint
site.

If the SharePoint site uses the NTLM or windows
authentication, the add-in will use the default
credential to connect to the SharePoint.
However, for form based or claimed based
authentication (for example, Office 365
SharePoint online), it may prompt you (and
other individual technician) to enter their
credential.

Check ‘Remember’ so that Team Helpdesk
add-in can use the same credential to logon to
the SharePoint site in subsequent connection.

You can also specify the authentication mode
that is used by your SharePoint to allow
connection to it. For instance, if your
SharePoint is configured for Windows
authentication, choose ‘NTLM’. If it used a form
based authentication, then choose ‘Forms’
whereas if it used a claimed based
authentication (for Office 365 SharePoint
Online), choose ‘Office 365’. If you are unsure,
consult your administrator.